Room 22
by Julie Darkwood
Summary: A normal YNM case, as told by the vitim. Slight HisokaTsuzuki Please review!
1. Room 22

I knew right away those two would be trouble. We don't get many city folk here, at my parent's inn. In fact, we don't get many people at all. We live in a small town. We've got one of those nice, cozy lodges. The ones where the innkeepers are your best friends. I'm the resident cook here, and the maid, and the bellhop, and anything else that's needed. I was the one on desk duty when they walked in. The older man was mysterious looking, wearing a big trench coat and dark glasses. It would've been intimidating if he wasn't smiling so much and attacking our candy bowl. The other one was younger, maybe a year younger than me. He had blond hair and beautiful green eyes. I'm not gonna lie, I may not have much time for boys but I _am_ a teenage girl you know. He was attractive. Very much so. But hotel workers don't flirt with guests, not that I even knew how to flirt in the first place.

"Welcome to the Mountain-Side Inn. May I help you today?" I asked politely. God I hate desk duty, fake smiles and annoying costumers. Joy.

"Oh, hi!" The older man said. "Can I have a room for two?"

"Certainly, would you like two singles or a double?" I asked, one can never assume.

"Two singles please." The boy cut in before the older man could speak.

I smiled, "Of course, sir. Room 17 is open at the moment. If you could just please…" After they checked in the two turned to go. The older man smiled and thanked me, while his companion just huffed. Typical teenager. I sighed and leaned against the desk. '_Those two.'_ I told myself, '_Sure are strange. Wonder what they're doing in such a boring town._' I brushed it aside, with more guests I know had work to do.

It wasn't until much later that I saw either of them again. To my surprise it was the younger one. I had thought for sure he was the type to sit on the deck and read all day. Guess you can't always be right. He walked straight up to me and said, "Excuse me Miss, but how many rooms does this inn have?"

"Twenty one." I answered promptly. Cleaning the same rooms every day kinda engrains that number into memory.

"Twenty one? Why such an odd number?"

My smile faltered a bit. I became suspicious. No one just asks that. Not that seriously. No, something wasn't right here. "We're just odd people sir, now if you'll please excuse me, I have work to do." I said, smiling blindingly, I had to remember to be warm and polite, even if I wanted to be rude.

He nodded and left, and I can only hope he didn't notice my unease.

* * *

_**That Night**_

My brother killed himself in Room 22. That's why I feared that boy's question. That's why I hid the true answer.

Every night I would sneak out of my family's rooms upstairs and go down there. And every night I sleep on the same bed he died on. I don't know why. I couldn't explain it if you asked, but I do. It's like I have to. Next to me is the knife he killed himself with. The blade is rusted from his blood. Sometimes, I take that blade, and rest it against the pale skin of my wrists. I never cut; I am too strong for that. Even though something deep within me wants to. But I just hold it there, pressing slightly so I can feel it, but never enough to bleed.

We have no clue why my brother killed himself. He seemed happy enough. But then, so do I.

But tonight is different. Tonight I feel more tired, weary; sick of the same routine of pretending it doesn't hurt day after day after day. Tonight, I don't think I have the strength to keep that knife above the surface.

Suddenly, I'm sitting in the bed again, and I can still see the sea of red that I saw that fateful morning. I still smell it. I hold that knife in my right hand, and poise it over the left. I can't seem to control myself. I want to stop. Oh gods, please, anyone. Stop me. I don't want to die. I don't want to leave my parent alone. Please! Someone help me! Please! Oh god, please!

-Crash-

The door comes down, a man runs through. He's shouting something, and he's throwing something at me. No, not me. The air in front of me. Light flashes, then I can see someone. He's holding the knife above my hands, he's pressing down. With a cry of horror I pull back. Then I look closer. No, it can't be. "Kai!" I called, (dimly I'm aware of someone holding me back) "Kai!" I reached for him, for the ghostly vintage of my brother, "Kai, please come back to me! Kai! I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" The other man was doing something again. Kai started fading. "Kai! No! Come back, brother!" I struggled frantically, before realizing it was hopeless. I looked up at him in fear, not for myself, but for him. The apparition smiled slightly, before he mouthed something.

_"I'm sorry…"_

Then he disappeared. I collapsed against the person holding me, sobbing for all I was worth. "No, I'm the one that's sorry. I know you never meant to hurt me." I looked up again, glaring at the person now kneeling in front of me. "I would have gone! If that's what it would have taken, I would have gone! Why did you stop me! He was lonely, he was tired! He-"

"He never wanted that fate for you." I stopped, taken aback. I stared at him through the haze of tears. Vaguely I noticed that his eyes were a strange purple color. "It was the knife, it was controlling his spirit."

"Who-who are you?"

"My name is Tsuzuki. I'm a Shinigami."

Grimly I let out a laugh. The person behind me loosened their hold and pulled back and around to face him. I wasn't surprised to see the green-eyed boy sitting there. "Guardians of death, huh? So that's why you asked about rooms. You need to work on being stealthy." Hysterical giggles bubbled from my lips as I hugged myself. "Is Kai going to be punished? Will he be okay?"

"No. The ministry will probably rule in his favor since the knife's curse was controlling him."

"Good." I said firmly. I stood, wobbling, and wiped away my tears. "Then it's about time I moved on as well." Bracing myself against the doorframe I looked back at the younger of the two. "So what's your name anyways?"

"…Hisoka." He said, he didn't seem to be feeling any emotion at all. I wanted to smack him.

"Right, I'll remember that, next time you're here to kill someone. I-I'd better get back to bed." I switched that last part at the last minute. I didn't even know what it was I wanted to say.

I turned to go be was stopped, "Wait."

It was Hisoka. "Yeah?" I said, trying to seem like I wasn't about the break down completely. Again.

"Fair's fair, what's yours?"

I smiled, shakily. "Saki. You better remember that too, kay?" Without waiting for an answer I left.

By morning the two were gone.

I knew right away those two would be trouble. Guess I was right. Still…

"I suppose I owe you a thank you. So thanks, for everything. Tsuzuki and Hisoka. That's what I wanted to say back there, but I guess you'll never hear me. But that's okay. You'll probably forget me anyways. So, goodbye."

* * *

Part two coming up next. I know this is kinda weird, but it's my first Yami fic, so give me a break. It came to me at about 11 at night, and I just had to write it down. It's basically a normal case, except from a different perspective. The follow-up is their meeting two years later.

Don't forget to review!

-Kit


	2. Bearable

It can't be. No. Way. It's been two years.

"Oi, Tsuzuki! Hisoka! Is that you?"

The two men turned and stared. "Back to save some poor Innkeeper's girl, or to actually kill someone this time?" I asked cheerfully.

Hisoka looked confused.

"Jerk! I told you to remember. Still, I didn't think you would."

"Saki? The Inn girl we saved from that knife?" He said cautiously.

"Oh yeah, I remember you!" Tsuzuki said. "How's life been?"

"Oh you know, oh wait, no, I suppose you don't." I grinned broader. "Good. How's death been?"

"Not bad."

"Listen, there was something I never got to tell you guys before you left. It may be two years too late but for what it's worth. Thanks. For everything. You saved my brother's spirit, and you saved mine. I'll let you get back to you business! Bye!" I turned and waved, running back to the Inn for work.

----------------------

"The two years seem to have been good too her." Tsuzuki mentioned.

"Yeah." Hisoka looked after Saki with a small smile.

Tsuzuki grinned and ruffled his hair. "They seem to have been good to you too, Soka-chan."

"I told you not to call me that!"

"Wahh…Soka-chan's mean!"

"Baka!"

--------------------

"Hey Tsuzuki."

"What is it Hisoka?"

"It's just that you said being a Shinigami was hard. And people say that it's never rewarding."

"And?" The older man prompted.

"Well, don't cases like Saki's make it a bit more bearable?"

Tsuzuki looked at his younger partner and smiled, "Yeah, They sure do."

* * *

Okay, so I suppose this wasn't really necessary, but I felt I needed to write it. Don't forget those pretty reviews!

-Kit


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